Your Survival Is a Rebellion

Reclaiming our power through a sacred relationship with money

Rewriting Our Relationship with Money

Many of you have reached out lately (especially my long-time followers), noting the shift in my energy across almost every aspect of my life since you first began interacting with my content and building a relationship with me.

Especially when it comes to my relationship with abundance.

A few days ago, we explored how expansion, rather than contraction, transforms our relationship with self. Today, we're diving into something equally intimate yet universally challenging: our relationship with money—the item we almost universally think of when it comes to abundance (although, to me, abundance encompasses feelings and states of being more than money—but that’s for another time).

Here's what I mean.

The Dance of Energy and Value

Money isn't just currency—it's concentrated potential. It's the physical manifestation of human energy, creativity, and possibility.

Yet so many of us treat it like a mere commodity. Like something to be traded for survival rather than respected as the force it truly is (before you get spicy please keep reading—I dive into the nuance behind this and the intersection with class, lack of DEI, economic structures and monopolization of marketplaces later on).

The Danger of Scarcity Mindset

I used to view money through the lens of scarcity, even when I had enough. It was always about the transaction, the exchange, the immediate need, or the immediate want generated by an external source.

What I failed to understand was that this perspective wasn't just affecting my bank account—it was shaping my entire relationship with abundance.

Think about it this way: You have a vintage family heirloom—a watch—passed down through generations, each scratch and dent telling a story of life and love. Would you trade it for a new one, just because both tell time? Of course not. The very thought feels wrong, doesn't it?

Yet we do this with money all the time. We trade this powerful energy for things that don't match its inherent value, not just in terms of price, but in terms of meaning, growth, and potential. And each time we do this, we subtly tell our subconscious that we don't truly value this force in our lives.

The System We Navigate

Let me be crystal clear about something: This isn't about having a certain income level or achieving some magical number in your bank account. The truth is far more nuanced, and it would be irresponsible not to acknowledge the complex system we're all navigating.

We exist within structures that weren't built for everyone's prosperity. Redlining has created generational wealth gaps that can't be wished away. Unregulated housing markets turn basic shelter into a luxury good. Monopolized wealth centers concentrate resources in fewer and fewer hands. The rising cost of necessities outpaces wage growth. Access to higher-paying positions remains limited by systemic barriers, from discrimination to accessibility issues.

These aren't just abstract concepts—they're daily realities that shape millions of lives.

But here's where it gets interesting: While we work as a collective to change these systems (and we must), we can also transform our personal relationship with money, regardless of the amount we're working with.

The Revolution Begins with Respect

The first shift happens in how we view the money that does flow through our lives, whether it's $5 or $50,000. It's about treating each dollar as energy that carries intention and potential.

This means:

• Being mindful of where your money flows and why. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in, even if you're working with limited resources. When you spend with intention, you're not just buying things—you're investing in stories, supporting dreams, and shaping economies.

• Creating sacred space for financial decisions, no matter how small. Take a moment before each purchase to ask: Does this align with my values? Does this exchange honor both the energy I've invested to earn this money and my future self? This pause isn't about restriction—it's about connection with your deeper purpose.

• Understanding the cyclical nature of financial energy. Money that flows out with intention tends to flow back with greater purpose. This isn't manifestation magic—it's about creating conscious patterns in how we interact with our resources, leading to more aligned opportunities and choices.

• Building a relationship with money that feels expansive rather than restrictive. Instead of viewing budgeting as limitation, see it as a tool for directing your energy with purpose. Rather than seeing saving as deprivation, recognize it as honoring your future self.

• Acknowledging the interconnected nature of financial wellbeing. When you respect money's energy in your own life, you naturally become more conscious of how financial systems affect others. This awareness can guide you toward choices that benefit not just yourself, but your broader community.

• Expressing gratitude for the money that comes into your life, acknowledging it as a form of energy exchange rather than just a means of survival. This gratitude extends to all forms of abundance—the ability to cover basic needs, unexpected gifts, opportunities to earn, and chances to share.

Practical Steps for All Financial Situations

Here's how to begin shifting your relationship with money, regardless of your current circumstances:

Start with awareness. For one week, before any purchase, pause for just three breaths. Notice the energy behind the transaction. Are you buying from a place of lack or abundance? Fear? External influence? Or, purpose? Maybe even expansion? No judgment—just observation.

Create intentional money moments. Set aside five minutes each week to review your relationship with money. Perhaps it's while paying bills or checking your account. Use this time to acknowledge the flow of energy in your life. Make this a habit and never compromise on practicing it.

Practice value alignment. Begin with just one purchase a week that feels fully aligned with your values and the energy you want to cultivate. This isn't about amount—it's about intention, and it does not need to be an indulgence. It can be as simple as giving thanks while you exchange your Food Stamps for sustenance for your family.

Practical Steps for Navigating Tough Financial Emotions

Build a gratitude practice around your current financial reality, even (and especially) if it's challenging.

Acknowledge what's working, what's supporting you, and what's teaching you. I know it’s hard (I’ve supported myself financially since I was 17 and couch surfing my way to college, through two layoffs, and out of debt accrued to keep a roof over my head through the pain of being in an abusive relationship and SA’d by a coworker shortly after leaving it).

I know you don’t want to do this. And I’m so deeply sorry that you have to.

So, while you don’t want to do this (but try anyway), hold space for the emotions that come up when you think about your current financial reality.

Let yourself feel the anger at systems and people that failed you, the grief for opportunities denied, the fear, and the hope for future change.

These feelings aren't obstacles to healing your relationship with money—they are recognition that your survival itself is an act of rebellion, and every time you choose to face your financial reality with gentle awareness instead of shame or avoidance, you're reclaiming a piece of your power.

The Bigger Picture

This journey isn't just about personal finance—it's about reclaiming our relationship with a fundamental force in our lives while acknowledging and working to change the systems that create inequality.

There will be days when survival needs trump ideal choices. There will be times when systemic barriers feel insurmountable. But this transformation isn't just yours alone.

I am living it with you. I am breathing it with you. I am sitting with you while your emotions show up in ways you've never felt before.

And I'm holding space for your courage—because every time you feel these depths, you're not just healing yourself.

You're helping us all remember what it means to be human in a world that too often forgets.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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